The J. Press Pennant Label brought about a very interesting conversation about evolving Ivy. It’s kind of a moot point, it has already happened, but hopefully this helps the few remaining who are struggling.
Ivy started as a fashion innovation. People weren’t wearing loafers with shorts and no socks in the 40’s. Ivy was one generation taking the fashion that was being handed to them and tweaking it to make it their own. Same elements. Shorts were not invented in the 50’s. But tweaked, and now you wear an untucked oxford over them. Right?
Then, it was embraced cross culturally because… EVERYBODY likes when something new looks and feels good. And they liked the ethos. Ivy is about a lot of things, excellence amongst them. Very rarely do you find someone wearing Ivy and sucking at what they are doing. Who doesn’t like excellence?
The position that Ivy should not evolve is denying Ivy its roots.
Over the holiday weekend I did Vernon Moxey’s Prep Style Journal podcast, and he asked me where I see Ivy and the site in 5 years. I told him that the resurgence of Ivy is secure in my opinion, as long as we let it breathe. I told him I think Ivy and Ivy-Style will be more fun that it has been in the past (Richard Press and Bruce Boyer are SO good at that, making it fun – it makes me wonder why we aren’t following the OG’s). Fun needs to be infused. I told him that while we have made real strides in inclusion (Ivy-Style: The Classics Are For Everyone or J. Press: Ivy Style is now available to anyone and everyone) we need to keep working on that part as well.
If you care about the style, you should be embracing the change. Don’t take it personally, it isn’t about not wearing things exactly the way you did. It is about wearing things the way they want to.
Which, again, is exactly how this whole thing started.
I like this. If Ivy can’t evolve, it will die. No one wants that.
Ivy “evolved” into Prep and we now have the choice between the real thing and something which is hardly better.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve ebbed and flowed with my devotion since the early 80s (Worked in DC and ultimately as an attorney). Have always been into music and clothes. Still am. Ivy/Prep needs to remain interesting. The Japanese are great at this IMHO. Of course there will be missteps and overreaching. The discerning amongst us will side-step these abominations. However, one must evolve, if one chooses to not only survive… but, actually thrive.
Re: evolving.
After 50 years of preferring navy knit ties, I bought a burgundy one yesterday.
See? It can happen for all of us. 🙂
No link to that podcast? I want to listen!